Action Comics Vol 1 40
| StoryTitle5 = Mr. America: "The Purple Gang" | Synopsis5 = In the quiet town of Serena, newspaper editor Weston is kidnapped from his home by a band of thugs wearing purple hoods. Luckily, Tex Thomson overhears the scuffle, from the next house over and donning his Mr. America outfit, follows the trail of the purple gang. Weston is tied to a post set up in the woods as the gang threatens him with violence for his "anti-American activities". A red, white, and blue feather whisks into view. The five thugs turn to see Mr. America, and quickly rush him, but Tex has little problem knocking them all to the ground. He unties Weston, asking him what the Purple Gang meant by his "anti-american activities." Weston believes these were phony patriots, and declares that his articles have always been advocating the American way. Recently the gang tarred two farmers for selling wheat to friendly powers. Weston published a piece praising the two farmers, and helped them get the wheat to their buyers. This was probably why the Purple Gang attacked him today. Weston leads Tex back to his office, where a man, Mr. Stromb, one of the wheat buyers, awaits them. Stromb takes his leave just as a flare of light outside the window catches Tex's attention. Townsfolk are racing toward the warehouse. Someone has set it ablaze! Mr. America hurries to the scene to see if he can help. On the roof, the silhouettes of two figures are spotted; they seem to be arguing. Into the burning building rushes Mr. America, coming out moments later with two unconscious men under each arm. Weston recognizes them as Joe and Ralph, the former a respectable farmer. When they came to, Joe tells them that he had just joined the Purple Gang, and they wanted him and Ralph to set fire to the wheat stock. Joe didn't want to, but the Purple gang's leader forced him into it. He told Tex that the gang was staging some big event tonight down on Maple Grove. Tex has a suspicion, so he pays a visit to Mr. Stromb's home, first. There is an uncooperative thug at the door of Stromb's residence, so Tex punches him out. Searching Stromb's bedroom, Mr. America comes across a briefcase with a false bottom, which holds several documents, which reveal Stromb as a foreign saboteur. He founded the Purple Gang under the pretense of serving America, and tricked all its members into helping him further his goal to destroy the country from within. A rally of Purple Gang members chant as their leader, wearing a cloth mask over their face, denounces Mr. America as an anti-American troublemaker. When Mr. America himself shows up, he tries to tell everyone that they are being lied to, by their so-called leader. A flying leaps lands Tex right in front of the Purple Gang's leader, and he unmasks him. It's Stromb all right. The crowd is stunned into silence when Tex and Weston explain to them what Stromb has been up to. The remaining members of the Purple Gang willingly disband, and vow to do only activities that will help America grow. | StoryTitle6 = Congo Bill: "The Adventure of the Prehistoric Valley" | Synopsis6 = On an expedition deep in Africa, Congo Bill encounters a strange lost world, where dinosaurs still roam. He is chased up a cliff by a Brontosaurus, where Bill finds the entrance to a cave. Inside was an old man and a beautiful young woman. His name was Doctor Hanlen, who came here yesterday with his niece, Sheila. Their native guides had turned tail and ran off, leaving them stuck in this cave. Doctor Hanlen keeps muttering to himself about this land being the discovery of a lifetime, over and over. Sheila confides in Bill that her uncle's lust for fame and glory has driven him mad. Suddenly, doctor Hanlen turns on them, pulling a gun on them in a rage. They were trying o steal his discovery, and he had to stop them! Bill fights off the crazed old man but doctor Hanlen manages to knock Bill out. Laughing in victory, Hanlen hurries outside to survey his new land. A Pterodactyl swoops in and scoops him up! Sheila's horrified shriek wakes Bill up. Bill and Sheila stuck together as they looked for a way out. Too many dangerous beasts lurked below where Bill had climbed, so they decided to follow the mountain path going up, instead. On the other side of the mountain, there was a waterfall that splashed into a small lake. Bill and Sheila follow it down. Amazingly, they end up a few kilometers from where Bill had set up camp. Professor Joe Kent finds them, and finds himself treated to a heck of an amazing story on the way back to camp. | StoryTitle7 = Zatara: "The Duped Daughter" | Synopsis7 = Old Walter Grew is in a jam. His daughter Ann is dating a guy who's been filling her head with ideas about having him committed to an insane asylum. Bucky Moor didn't really care for Ann, but he knew her father owned a huge property worth a hefty sum, he just needed him to sign over the deed. But Moor's plan gets complicated once Walter asks Zatara the magician for help. | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * Parello * Lou Other Characters: * Nancy Thorgenson * Morgan Thorgenson * Freddie Taylor * Pinkley * Thorgenson's assistant Locations: * ** *** | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Antagonists: * Tratos Other Characters: * Don Alvera * President Cardanes Locations: * ** Chilenos | Appearing3 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * Don De Avila Locations: * , ( ) ** ** | Appearing4 = Featured Characters: * ** ** ** Antagonists: * Bali Bill Other Characters: * Carol Grable Locations: * Vehicles: * Aces' Planes * Whaling Ship | Appearing5 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * The Purple Gang ** Stromb ** Joe Gorden ** Ralph Bolt Other Characters: * Weston Locations: * ** Serena Items: * Mr. America's Bullwhip | Appearing6 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Professor Joe Kent Antagonists: * Doctor Hanlen Other Characters: * Sheila Hanlen Locations: * ** | Appearing7 = Featured Characters: * Antagonists: * Bucky Moor * Jim * Hank Other Characters: * Walter Grew * Ann Grew | Notes = * Published by Detective Comics, Inc. * Superman: The Reformation of Nancy Thorgenson is reprinted in and . * Also appearing in this issue of Action Comics were: ** "Middy the Marine" ** "Birds of a Feather" (text story) by Robert Stowe | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }}